DIGITAL ELECTRONICS (331102)

PRACTICAL: 02

REALIZING NAND AND NOR GATE AS UNIVERSAL

GATE LOGIC

1.0 OBJECTIVES
 Universal Gates : NAND and NOR gates
 How to implement AND, OR and NOT gate using NAND Gate.
 How to implement AND, OR and NOT gate using NOR Gate.
 Equivalent Gates

2.0 ‘NAND’ GATE

 NAND is the contraction of AND – NOT

gates.

 It has two or more inputs and only one

output i.e. Y = A · B.

 When all the inputs are HIGH, the output

is LOW. If any one or both the inputs are
LOW, then the output is HIGH.

 The Logic symbol and the truth table of

NAND gate is as shown here.

 The small circle (or bubble) represents the operation of inversion.

 The NAND gate is equivalent to an OR gate with the bubble at its inputs which are
as shown.

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SOHIL VOHRA (LECTURER - SHRI K.J. POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, BHARUCH (C.E. DEPTT))
 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS (331102)

3.0 ‘NOR’ GATE

 NOR is the contraction of OR – NOT gates.

 It has two or more inputs and only

one output i.e. Y = A + B.

 When all the inputs are LOW, the

output is HIGH. If any one or both
the inputs are HIGH, then the
output is LOW.

 The Logic symbol and the truth

table of NOR gate is as shown
here.

 The small circle (or bubble)

represents the operation of inversion.

 The NOR gate is equivalent to an AND gate with the bubble at its inputs which are
as shown.

4.0 UNIVERSAL GATES :

 A universal gate is a gate which can implement any Boolean function without
need to use any other gate type.

 The NAND and NOR gates are universal gates.

 In practice, this is advantageous since NAND and NOR gates are economical and
easier to fabricate and are the basic gates used in all IC digital logic families.

 In fact, an AND gate is typically implemented as a NAND gate followed by an

inverter not the other way around!!

 Likewise, an OR gate is typically implemented as a NOR gate followed by an

inverter not the other way around!!

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SOHIL VOHRA (LECTURER - SHRI K.J. POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, BHARUCH (C.E. DEPTT))
 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS (331102)

5.0 NAND GATE AS A UNIVERSAL GATE :

 To prove that any Boolean function can be implemented using only NAND gates,
we will show that the AND, OR, and NOT operations can be performed using only
these gates.
 IMPLEMENTING INVERTER USING NAND GATE :
The figure shows two ways in which a NAND gate can be used as an
inverter (NOT gate).
1. All NAND input pins connect
to the input signal A gives an
output A’.

2. One NAND input pin is

connected to the input signal
A while all other input pins
are connected to logic 1. The
output will be A’.

 IMPLEMENTING AND USING NAND GATE :

An AND gate can be replaced
by NAND gates as shown in
the figure (The AND is replaced
by a NAND gate with its output
complemented by a NAND gate inverter).

 IMPLEMENTING OR USING NAND GATE :

An OR gate can be replaced by
NAND gates as shown in the
figure (The OR gate is replaced by
a NAND gate with all its inputs
complemented by NAND gate
inverters).

Thus, the NAND gate is a universal gate since it can implement the AND,
OR and NOT functions.

6.0 NOR GATE AS A UNIVERSAL GATE :

 To prove that any Boolean function can be implemented using only NOR gates,
we will show that the AND, OR, and NOT operations can be performed using only
these gates.

IMPLEMENTING INVERTER USING NOR GATE :

 The figure shows two ways in

which a NOR gate can be used
as an inverter (NOT gate).

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SOHIL VOHRA (LECTURER - SHRI K.J. POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, BHARUCH (C.E. DEPTT))
 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS (331102)

 All NOR input pins connect to the input signal A gives an output A’.

 One NOR input pin is connected

to the input signal A while all
other input pins are connected
to logic 0. The output will be A’.

IMPLEMENTING OR USING NOR GATE :

 An OR gate can be replaced by

NOR gates as shown in the
figure (The OR is replaced by a
NOR gate with its output
complemented by a NOR gate inverter)

IMPLEMENTING AND USING NOR GATE :

 An AND gate can be replaced by

NOR gates as shown in the
figure (The AND gate is replaced
by a NOR gate with all its inputs
complemented by NOR gate
inverters)

7.0 EQUIVALENT GATES :

 The shown figure summarizes important cases of gate equivalence. Note that
bubbles indicate a complement operation (inverter).

 A NAND gate is equivalent to

an inverted-input OR gate.

 An AND gate is equivalent to an

inverted-input NOR gate.

 A NOR gate is equivalent to an

inverted-input AND gate.

 An OR gate is equivalent to an
inverted-input NAND gate.

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SOHIL VOHRA (LECTURER - SHRI K.J. POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, BHARUCH (C.E. DEPTT))
 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS (331102)

 Two NOT gates in series are same

as a buffer because they cancel
each other as A’’ = A.

8.0 EXERCISE
8.1 Can we construct Ex-OR gate using a NAND gate?

8.2 Can we construct Ex-NOR gate using a NOR gate?

8.3 Which law can be applied to construct the Universal Gate.

9.0 ASSIGNMENTS

9.1 Why NAND & NOR gates are called universal gates???

9.2 What is meant by universal logic gate?

9.3 Construct Ex-OR gate using NOR gate.

9.4 Construct Ex-NOR gate using NAND gate.

Grades for Exercise: .................................................

Grades for Assignment: .................................................

Signature of Lab Co-ordinators: .................................................

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SOHIL VOHRA (LECTURER - SHRI K.J. POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, BHARUCH (C.E. DEPTT))